Miss Mehat

The most respected school leaders I know working in these communities aren't asking Ofsted to lower the bar. They're asking for a system that measures what they can actually influence and recognises the extraordinary work being done against the odds. tes.com/magazine/news/…

Cook with World Book day All day breakfast for many hungry caterpillars @WexhamPS #WorldBookDay

@stanthonyslough @WexhamPS Posh tea, one had money, skin care, pens etc...

@M3hatN @WexhamPS Love this idea, what did you fill them with?

Time to grab your bag for the 15 days of Christmas @WexhamPS #Christmas2025 #Advent

Gentle welcomes to the chicks as we learn about the life cycle and caring with kindness🐣🌱

An exciting learning experience as our chicks hatch, helping our pupils explore and understand the life cycle firsthand 🐣

@LaSalleEd Yout site is currently down, we have tried many times to get in touch, emails are bouncing back, what is going on??? #dfe @WexhamPS

To celebrate the start of 2026, I have a copy of Primary Reading Simplified to give away. For your chance to win, just **retweet this tweet**. I will pick the winner at random on Saturday January 10th. Good luck!

Neurodiversity is a common term in education- and society. But it lacks precision both in definition and usage. And that really matters in the real world. For a start 'neurodiverse' is not a clinically recognised or used term, eg in the DSM-5. It was coined by the sociologist Judy Singer in 1998, as an advocacy term for people with ASD and very closely related conditions. 'Neurodivergent' describes an individual whose brain functions differently from the majority. Clinically recognized examples include autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome, and others. These are formal neurodevelopmental diagnoses. Crucially this means people who have been born with a life-long condition. It does *not* include people with anxiety disorders, or dementia, or PTSD, or depression etc. It doesn't mean 'everything'. There is no diagnosis 'neurodiverse'. It is a purely vernacular term, with multiple meanings depending on who is using it and who you talk to. Clinicians diagnose specific conditions, like ASD. And of course even clinically diagnosable conditions like ASD, ADHD are subject to intense debates about how the category is defined, is it too broad or narrow etc. Diagnostic criteria can vary from country to country, LA to LA, school to school. And so can the response strategies. What a lot of people outside of either the education or clinical sectors don't realise is that this is an area that is crying out for high quality research, clarity, transparency, and honesty about what works, and when, and when it doesn't work. We are often talking about very different things when we use the same words carelessly. The common use of 'neurodiverse' matters; it is often heard in advocacy discourse, the media, etc. but frequently misunderstood. It doesn't mean 'a little bit different'. We are all different from one another. People who claim to be 'a little bit autistic' may very well simply misunderstand that some of the characteristics they identify in that category are also perfectly normal-spectrum qualities that many people have. Liking your house to be tidy doesn't mean that you are neurodivergent. Being a stickler for details doesn't mean you have OCD. If the term means 'everything' then it means 'nothing.' It has become fashionable for people to self diagnose and self-refer as neurodivergent, even in the face of little evidence. Because it confers, for some, a sense of being special, different, or interesting. And of course in a sector where we rightly seek to support people/ students who need reasonable accommodations in order to promote inclusivity, the *incorrect* assignation of an unmet need leads to unfair advantages over those who do not receive those accommodations. A small but growing group of activists now campaign on the platform that almost any mental health difference indicates neurodivergence, but this is a huge definitional drift, without any clinical basis. You see a lot of this activism in education, often perfectly well-meant. Singer herself would have disagreed strongly with this. The reason this matters is that if we treat all mental health problems, all behavioural disorders, all learning problems, as having lifelong neurological foundations - which they absolutely do not- then we create a narrative that indicates all individuals face insurmountable obstacles in modifying the behaviours associated with the condition. Some children identified as dyslexic, for example, are simply deficient in high quality reading instruction. But if you treat every child that behaves unsuccessfully in the classroom as being neurodivergent, then you create a circumstance where we treat them as the victims of irresistible compulsions, rather than human beings with the ability to learn to take responsibility, to grow, to change their habits and attitudes. It is also a substantial abandonment of our commitment to only use evidence info strategies with children- especially the most vulnerable. In other words, not all forms of SEND are indications of neurodivergent conditions. And most certainly aren't. Sadly, as in so many fields, many of the strategies recommended for children with any form of SEND, including forms of neurodivergence, lack substantial or credible evidence bases. There is a lot of well-meant money being spent on approaches that simply have no basis in research, impact or other outcomes. This is an area that cries out for high quality evidence bases, and evidence informed approaches to support students with genuine need, not activism that leads to treating all children as incapable. But the energy of that activism, married to evidence, could produce something spectacular for those who need help the most, and I hope we see this happen in the future.

@WexhamPS They sure can!!! Great dance pose 👌

'This boy can dance' was a wonderful unique experience. Four of our students got a chance to express themselves in a completely different and creative space. The energy and engagement made the entire day unforgettable!

Good graphic - food for thought.

@elonmuskTN 14

Inspired by autumn’s beauty, our staff came together to paint colourful leaves and seasonal scenes. A wonderful way to celebrate creativity, teamwork, and the season of change 🍁✨

@Headteacherchat It is tough and gets both easier and tougher depending on the day. Maybe give it a year and then make the decision. Also, make sure you have a coach or somebody to talk to freely and openly. I have a number of a guy if interested. It helped me no end.

Anonymous Post – Please help! I’ve almost made it to half term, but I’m really struggling to enjoy it. This role feels incredibly tough. Part of me keeps wondering if I made a mistake — maybe I should have stayed as a deputy. Please tell me I’m not the only one feeling like this. There’s just so much to do, and I constantly feel like I’m chasing my tail. Any words of advice or encouragement would mean a lot right now.

Today we are celebrating Mental Health Day by dressing as our sunny selves!🌞 Celebrating healthy minds, kind hearts, and happy selves. #MentalHealthDay #SunnySelves

🚨 NEW POST 🚨 ‘Supporting struggling writers’ 5 key issues: - Troubles with transcription - Struggling with sentence composition - Lost in the writing process - Writing shifts in subjects - Writing requires ample reading. alexquigley.co.uk/supporting-str…

@DavidDidau Love this. Was it time that made the difference?

Nine months ago I quit my job with no plan. I hit 108kg, felt broken, and could barely shuffle through Couch to 5k. Today I weigh 90kg, run parkrun in 26 mins, have a book coming out, two novels drafted, and a half marathon ahead. Rock bottom was the launchpad. Link in reply

@Charles91745799 @DalrympleWill Clive of India - a truly rotten man

If you do anything today, listen to the 5 minutes of @DalrympleWill explaining the truth about Clive of India: 17:28 to 17:33 bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/li…

VE Day is the theme..... We are ready #stokepogeshorticulture @WexhamPS

Oooow look at all our lovely veg! Getting ready for judging day @WexhamPS #horticulture #greenfingers @The_RHS @GWandShows